Week 4: BLOG#3 Family and Community Violence: Generational Gang Membership

TRIANGLE
In the video, Nuestra Familia, Our Family, it gives us a broad understanding on why some teenagers get involved and what the results become. Nuestra Familia is the most violent gang that there is in California. Salinas is a little town, but knows it is not the way it used to be. The peace that was once there has become fear to most of the residents. Nuestra Familia is all about respect, violence and rivalry. Many of the teenagers that get involved in Nuestra Familia believe that they are part of a family; they feel that they are at home. In this particular documentary what gets many involved is the welcoming of the gang members that are already involved and they feel safe when they are around them. When teenagers are having problems at home with their family they look for friends and if those friends give them trust and respect they will most likely be with them most of the time. Lack of parental attention could lead many of the teenagers into an environment that is unknown to them and it will affect them later in the future. Nuestra Familia is a gang that is controlled by some prisoners, but once you’re in the gang there is no way to get out. Many of the gang members have murdered innocent people, this occurs when they are doing drive bys. There was a boy in the documentary named Armando which at age twelve committed an armed robbery. His problems began when he was in and out of youth and adult prisons. Rivalry of opposite gang members have always created problems, many believe that being violent to their revelry will protect the others. Nuestra Familia rivals are the surenos, which are the south. The do not take any disrespect form the rivalry. They fight for territory and things that do not really matter. But, despite of all the violence associated with the gang members they are a family and it is difficult to break the cycle. Teenagers that get involved in gangs do it because they have been growing up in the same kind of environment, which encourages them to commit crime for money. Drug dealing has become a big part in the gang, because it is easy money and control.

SQUARE
I agree that many times teenagers get involved in the gangs because they feel peer pressure. But, even if there is peer pressure they have the opportunity to say no. This could be difficult for many because they are trying to impress their friends or fit into that particular environment that was difficult to be in at the beginning. Many teenagers should stop because they will destroy their lives and the lives of others.

CIRCLE
It is interesting that many teenagers that were involved in Nuestra Familia were children of the oldest gang members in that particular gang. Parents get their children exposed to many problems that they are facing, mainly to benefit the race. This was because they wanted to have the opportunity to expand. Being involved in a gang is a cycle in which many teenagers become exposed each day. How can gang involvement be stopped?